Update: The giveaway is now closed, but we still love hearing your feedback. (We may be planning another fun event for later this summer, thanks to your input.)

I had so much fun with the Alpha Showdown, and it’s because you guys made it a blast. (We’ve already been asked about future battles. We like the idea of power couples a la Cat & Bones, Barrons & Mac, Chess & Terrible, Mina & Rhys, etc. Maybe later this summer.) Don’t forget, you have until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 2, to vote in the final battle.

As it’s others who made this so fun, I’m honoring some favorites from the Showdown.

AUTHORS

We give special love to those who ain’t too proud to beg. First Ilona Andrews offered up the promise of a novella preview for some Kate and Curran love.

Then Karen Marie Moning upped the ante. Oh, KMM knows how to get you. She promised that if Barrons won the Alpha Showdown she would write a sex scene from JZB’s point-of-view. In KMM’s own words: “It won’t be pretty but it will be…well, let me just say if I’m getting in there for a good look around when the action is happening, I’m taking notes on EVERYTHING.” The woman knows how to work us, doesn’t she?

But a couple authors just wanted to have a little fun. Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews both had characters make it to the semifinals — Bones and Kate Daniels, respectively — but were pretty sure they wouldn’t end up in the final bout together. So, they wrote up the smack talk that would accompany such a hypothetical battle. At one point Bones tells Kate to have Curran explain Chapter 32 to her. It’s hilarious and you can read it here.

COMMENTERS

There have been hundreds of comments during the Showdown, which makes for a very happy VBC. A few favorites:

“All [Curran] has to do is comment on Zsadist’s ‘sweet tats’ and the fight’ll be over with the scarred one down for the count wrapped tight in a fetal position.” – Sara H. in support of Curran

“I don’t care who wins as long as I can be the meat in that SANDWICH !!!!” – Keysha on Curran vs. Barrons

“Cat. Catherine. Reaper. Kitten. All names to describe the most kick ass female in all of paranormal romance. She slices, she dices, she juliennes! Cat is the complete package. Half vamp, vampire killer with a deadly accurate aim, only she could bring Bones to his knees. Cat hasn’t wavered in who she loves either. It’s been one man the entire time. Go Reaper, you get my vote!” – Candace in support of Cat

“I have to say, after the Barrons/Curran showdown and seeing how diehard the Team Andrews fans were, I picked up Magic Bites and I have to say, I’m enjoying the hell out of it. So that’s one serious positive about this contest – I now have another series that I’m pulled into (as my wallet cries out in protest).” – Ali on Barrons vs. Kate Daniels

This is the perk for reading to the end. One person will win their choice of the first book in any of the series featured in the Alpha Showdown. Open internationally, provided The Book Depository ships to your country. To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling us what you liked about the Alpha Showdown.

CONTEST DETAILS AND RULES
1. You must leave a comment on this post.
2. Because we love our readers, let us know if you follow Vampire Book Club in some fashion (Google, RSS, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and get one bonus entry.
3. This contest is open internationally, provided The Book Depository ships to your country.
4. Contest is closes at 11:59 p.m. CST on Sunday, June 5.
5. The winner will be selected using Random.org. Then she will be contacted via email and given 48 hours to claim her prize. If we do not hear from the winner(s) within that time, a new winner will be selected.
6. Entrants must be at least 13 years old or have their parent’s permission to enter. Please review our privacy policy, if you have any questions as to how Vampire Book Club uses your information. (Short version: we’ll only use it to contact you for this contest.)
7. Though unlikely, Vampire Book Club has the right to change or cancel any giveaway at any time without prior notice.
8. Vampire Book Club is not responsible for items being lost or damaged in transit.

I loved everything about this showdown! From the witty comments to the trickery authors tried to use to get people to vote (KMM you do not play fair 🙂 ). But what I loved most was having the internal dilemma on who to choose for a winner. I loved waking up, opening my emails, and having to choose who I thought was more of a bad-ass. I never thought Anita would beat Jace and I love them both. Also I found a few new books I’m going to read. This showdown was so much fun! I really hope you do another one.

This was outstandingly fun! I loved so much about it, but especially the smack talk! When people have a favorite Alpha they defend it to the DEATH! As an aside, now I’m trying to figure out how to work the Kate Daniels series into my TBR pile without breaking the bank.

I follow you everywhere. Like a crazed stalker. All creepy and stuff. But you already knew that. <..> <.<

I love love love this idea… it’s definitely gotten me to discover new books. I’ve only just discovered this blog because of the Alpha Showdown due to being a Karen Marie Moning fan through facebook.
I follow you guys through facebook and e-mail.

Alpha Showdown has been really interesting. I have a couple of new series to put on my reading list from it and a few that I have that I am going to re-read!!! I follow you on GFC, Facebook, and Twitter…along with being signed up for the emails. Thank you for what you do..It helps alot when looking at all the books to have VPBC’s opinions!

What a great way to get everyone involved and introduce people to new authors and/or series. I know before this contest I didn’t know some of the series but now I have read the Kate Daniel series and the Immortal Instrument series. I am always on the look out for new authors and you guys made doing that fun and informative at the same time. You have made a new fan of me for your website.

I now follow you on Twitter after recently being introduced to the Alpha Showdown by one of my Tweeps. I feel like I met my book soul-mates! I work at a publisher where no one else shares my interest in this genre (unless they are closet supernatural smut lovers). All of the series I’ve read (except the most recent) had a character in the competition and I knew there were people out there who were just as rabid as I! I’ll be adding the ones I haven’t read to my future reading list.

Well, you’re among friends now! We openly love all things supernatural — both the smutty kind and the action-packed kind. Glad you’ve found some new reads with the challenge. Which one are you going to start first?

I think I’ll start with Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress Series. If not only because she is besties with Illona Andrews–who I greatly appreciate for the amount of effort that goes into her weapons, fighting and mythological research and who is one of the most fan friendly/approachable authors out there–but also because a few fellow JZB fanatics commented that they would have liked to have seen Bones go up against Barrons in the final round for more of a challenging fight.

Give me action-packed supernatural with generous sprinkles of smut and I’m in my book zone. Husbands and pets do not disturb. 🙂 Thanks for running the competition and blog!

Interesting to see how the voting turned out. I’m in the middle of KMM’s series and haven’t seen any “action” from Barrons yet. I’m curious to find out why everyone thinks he’s the alpha. Will admit, he’s kind of scary!

You begin to see Barrons in book 3, then the last two really give you insight into who he is as a ‘man’ and what motivates him. Barrons is a character with a dark past (he came from a time when violence was the norm, and he has never really rid himself of that). The books take on a decided darker edge in the last two, full of moral ambiguities.

I loved reading all the comments, and hearing what has drawn some people into the series that I haven’t read yet. I have bookmarked those and plan on getting to them over the summer. I follow on google and email.

This has been so much fun. It was a great idea to get series-specific bloggers to intro each contestant. Like many others, I enjoyed learning about series I hadn’t been introduced to before. Next, you’ll need to do this for sexiest female.

I found out about the Alpha Showdown through KMM’s blog. I’m a fan of the fever series and her promise of a special scene was enough to get me here! Just like others, I found new characters and seies to read. Also, I have been reading book reviews and older posts. I did just sign up for email so I can keep current.

Oh were to start?! I loved the showdown for many reasons!! I have some new series on my list to read, which is always great! I loved the bantering and oh, I just loved imagining my favorite yummy characters facing off!! LOL

I love how many of you have found new series to check out through the Showdown.

The whole idea was to have some fun with favorite characters, and I’m so happy to read that it also encouraged so many of you to add to the to-read pile. (I’m notorious for encouraging others to add to the must-read list. Be warned!)

This. Was. Awesome. Whishes that Bones could have gone to finals but…. well Barrons is there so that makes up. Not that I don’t like Jace, (I love him!) but Barrons do have more experience to hin. Gosh and putting Bones and Cat together… one of the hardest choice. But it was all good, and fun, and not too disapointed in any of the winnings and losings.

This was really fun! I voted every way possible and really enjoyed the authors being involved. I follow y’all every way possible. Barrons all the way. Although I do wish Bones had gone a little further. Have found alot of new interesting series to give a try.

I enjoyed reading not the smack talk, but the rationals people had behind their choices. I took my time deciding between Barrons and Curran because I decided that the battle for ‘alpha’ was not about who was smexiest, or would win in a battle, but who had that ‘leadership’ ability. So I chose Curran…once he lost (darn) I was free to support Barrons. (though I did swing a vote towards Kate because she was fighting to avenge her smoogiewompums)

I loved reading the comments 😀 Some of them were hilarious, and I’m a sucker for polls…I love them! haha I really liked the whole showdown though, it introduced me to the awesome characters of some series I’ve been thinking of reading, but haven’t yet. And I’m definitely more anxious to pick them up now! 😀